Winds of Change

by Nova Nelson

  When Tanner returned from sending the emergency owl, he sat down on the floor by my feet where I waited in the manager’s office, staring up at me like he might never take his eyes off of me again. “I’m worried,” he said.

  “Yeah, me too, actually.”

  He reached forward and held my hands. “Nora, when I saw you out there, collapsed … I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you. I don’t think I can stand to lose someone else I love.” His fingers tightened around mine. “You’re the first woman I’ve felt this way about, and … I feel like I need to come clean with you.”

  “Um … come clean?” Oh no. That was never good.

  “Maybe this isn’t the time to mention it, but for a moment, when I thought you might be … All I could think about was how stupid I’ve been. I’ve wasted so much energy on jealousy that I should have been putting toward you.”

  “Jealousy?” I said, almost laughing at the twist. “What are you talking about?”

  He couldn’t look me in the eye, so he kept his attention on my hand that he held. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve never been like this before. I guess I didn’t realize how scared I was of losing you. But there have been times lately when I can hardly think straight because I know you’re spending time with another man. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I don’t understand what you see in me. You deserve someone smart, like Oliver. No, you deserve even better than that. Honestly, no one in Eastwind deserves you, myself included.” He paused. “I feel like I’m going crazy sometimes, like I’ve lost my mind when this jealousy hits. Heck, Nora, I’ve even spent hours wondering if you were going behind my back with … Gaia, I’m embarrassed to even say it …”

  “You don’t have to say it,” I said as quickly as I could. Because I knew who he was about to say.

  I sighed. I wasn’t great at talking about feelings (okay, I was awful at it), but I knew how to spot an opportunity when it presented itself, and this was quite obviously my best opportunity yet to come clean about what had gone on between Donovan and me. It was finally clear: Tanner deserved to know, to decide, based on all the facts, where we went from there. Watching him beat himself up over feeling jealous about something he most definitely had a right to feel jealous about was just too much. I needed to tell him how I really felt, and before that, he needed to know about the Deadwoods. “Tanner, there’s something I’ve been meaning to—”

  “Culpepper? You here?”

  I shut my eyes against the intrusion of Deputy Manchester’s voice as he charged in the back door.

  “Hold that thought,” Tanner said as he stood to usher the deputy into the back office.

  When both men returned a moment later and Stu’s eyes took me in, starting at the head and working their way down, the were-elk spotted my feet, yelped, “Twenty tines!” and took a quick step back.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I could use a little first aid.”

  Stu swallowed hard, his mouth twisting down at the corners as he continued to stare at my blistered feet. “And second and third aid, if you don’t mind me saying. What happened?”

  I filled him in on what I knew, explaining the vision in depth, too.

  Tanner leaned against the doorframe as Stu scratched his head. “I don’t know much about visions. That would be more of a Ruby question. Is it possible you went into one of those states that Zoe was in and, I dunno, went and put your feet into the fire?”

  “Anything’s possible, I guess.”

  Stu asked, “You talk to Mr. Bridgewater already?”

  “Yeah. If he has anything to do with this, he sure doesn’t know about it.”

  Stu nodded. “I was afraid of that. Liberty checked out, too, when I went and spoke with him. Gah, that guy is just so dang likable!”

  “Right?” Tanner said, grinning. His enthusiasm melted into contemplation, and after a quiet moment, he added, “I just don’t get it. Why would someone put a big ol’ stick in the ground and light it on fire? What’s the point?”

  Stu nodded. “And who would do it?”

  I raised my hand slightly from my lap. “I might have an idea on that one. Just before I slipped into the vision, I could have sworn I saw Evangeline Moody sneaking away into the shadows.”

  “Evangeline?” both Tanner and Stu said.

  Stu added, “You think she set that stick on fire?”

  And Tanner added. “No, not Eva. She doesn’t have a malicious bone in her body.”

  “Now hold up,” Stu said. “We don’t know that this was done with any malicious intent. We don’t even know why someone would do such a thing.”

  Suddenly it occurred to me that there was a vast chasm of personal experience between me and the men. I was on one side, making a connection that was obvious to me, and Tanner and Stu were on the other, with no context of what a burning stake could indicate. Maybe things hadn’t gone down the same here as they had in my home world. It would make sense, after all. Witches weren’t exactly welcome where I came from, but they bounced around this town like they owned the place—because they pretty much did.

  “Eastwind never had any sort of witch trials, did it?” I asked.

  Tanner scrunched up his face. “You mean like the Mancer Trials to graduate?”

  “I don’t think so.” At least, I certainly hoped the Mancer Trials were nothing like the Salem Witch Trials. “No, like people accusing other people of being witches and burning them at the stake or drowning them or whatever else people used to do to kill accused witches.”

  Both of the men stared at me with open mouths. Tanner was the first to speak. “They did that where you came from? Sheesh. I always thought it’d be a nice place to visit someday, but now … no thanks.”

  “They don’t do it anymore,” I said. “At least not in my country. But they used to.”

  “What you’re describing, Ms. Ashcroft, would be incredibly illegal here. Always. We don’t tolerate open prejudice.”

  “That’s a definite point in the Eastwind column, trust me. What I’m getting at here, though, is that burning a stake means nothing to you. You don’t have the context for it. It seems completely random. But for someone from my world, there’s plenty of context. Even recent context with burning crosses.”

  “Why would you burn a cross?” asked Tanner. “Is there some significance to a cross that I’m missing?”

  I chuckled. “Yes. In my world there’s huge significance to a cross. People live and die by it. But you’re missing the point.”

  Stu nodded. “I think I get what you’re saying, Ms. Ashcroft. Only someone familiar with the context of a burning stake would go to the trouble of putting one right in front of Medium Rare. And the only people in this town who would know the context as you described are you, Ms. True, and Ms. Moody.”

  The count’s understanding of my Calvin Klein reference jumped to mind, and I added, “And possibly Count Malavic. I don’t know how much he knows about my old world, but he seems to know something.”

  “Interesting,” said Deputy Manchester. “I can’t speak to that, but there is significance for vampires when it comes to wooden stakes. Maybe he was trying to send a message?”

  “But what about Eva?” I asked.

  Tanner pushed off the wall he was leaning on and stepped forward. “Maybe it was him. Maybe the count found a way to control witches to do his bidding.”

  “Now just hold up there, Culpepper,” Stu said, placing a hand on Tanner’s shoulder. “Let’s not jump to that conclusion.”

  “Why?” Tanner said. “Because it’s too unpleasant to think about?”

  Stu nodded once. “Precisely. What you’re saying is Malavic somehow made Ms. Clementine try to drown herself, made Mr. Bridgewater bury him in his coffin, and made Ms. Moody set a giant stake on fire outside your restaurant. That’s a big claim, and frankly, there’s no rhyme or reason to the instances.”

  “And it doesn’t explain the visions,” I added, casting Tanner an apologetic glance as I burst the bubb
le of his theory. “When I spoke to Ruby about the first two occurrences, she said it was likely a witch behind it. If that were the case, and given the context of a burning stake, it would leave only me, Ruby, and Eva. I’d hope you’d both rule me out, and Ruby wants as little drama in her life as possible, so I can’t see her doing this.”

  Tanner shook his head. “You really need to get to know Eva more, Nora. She’s nice. I can’t see her doing this.”

  I couldn’t see her doing it either, if I were being honest. Yet I couldn’t dismiss the possibility. Was I jealous of the time she’d been spending with Donovan lately? “Wait,” I said. “She was right nearby when we found Zoe in the fountain. Remember? She came running from Franco’s Pizza with Donovan. And she’s staying up on Fluke Mountain. That’s not far from Mount Reign where the count lives. And I saw her. Just now, I saw her.”

  Stu nodded, blowing out a long breath. “It’s true. We don’t know much about her, do we?” He hitched up his duty belt. “Alright. I guess I’d better go talk to her. In the meantime, I suggest you get those blisters looked at, Ms. Ashcroft.” He cast another glance their way and cringed. “But, you know, maybe warn whoever it is before you show them.”

  He waved over his shoulder on his way out, and when the door shut, Tanner said, “I’d better get to work. I’ll send an owl to Stella and see if she can swing by with something for your feet. In the meantime, you just stay here.”

  He made for the door then paused, gripping the frame as he turned back around. “Wait, weren’t you going to tell me something before Stu showed up?”

  I swallowed hard. “Yeah, but it can wait.” Then I flashed him a smile. “We have plenty of time for chitchat.”

  He beamed back at me. “You ain’t lying, Nora. I plan on keeping you around as long as I can.” With a quick few steps, he planted a kiss on my forehead then hurried from the office.

  And immediately, I spun in the chair, careful to keep my feet lifted off the ground, grabbed a piece of owl paper, and wrote a note to the one person who might be able to help me put together the last few pieces of this puzzle:

  Landon,

  I still owe you a drink for your help with the Guilt Gale. Got plans tonight? If not, meet me at Franco’s Pizza at 7.

  -Nora

  Tanner wiped his hands on his apron as he entered the manager’s office a few hours later. I was bored out of my mind. Stella Lytefoot had come as requested, but she’d quickly realized that the ointment she’d brought—which was for externally caused blisters, was not the one she’d needed. So she’d told me to sit tight and wait until she could return.

  And I’d taken the opportunity to have her take my letter out to the owl post. And by the time she’d returned, she brought with her a response.

  Nora,

  You don’t have to do that, but thanks. Sounds great. See you at 7.

  -Landon

  “Feeling better?” Tanner asked, looking from me to Stella, who stood rather than flew as she treated my feet.

  “Oh yes. I mean, popping all the blisters was about as fun as chewing glass, but it’s all downhill from there, right Stella?”

  “Couldn’t be much worse,” she mumbled, applying more of the thick yellow paste to my wounds. “Haven’t seen anything like this before. Burns that start on the inside and work their way out. Had to pop the nodules to release the fluid build-up.”

  Tanner did an admirable job of downplaying it when he gagged.

  “It’s okay,” I assured him. “I won’t hold it against you. I’d be gagging too, if all my mental energy weren’t already committed to not swatting Stella on reflex.”

  “Thank you for that,” she said.

  Tanner straightened. “It’s not that. I don’t find you gross.”

  “You beautiful and terrible liar,” I said. “If you don’t find this gross, I’m seriously worried about you.”

  “Fine, it’s pretty nasty. But mostly I’m sorry you’re hurting.” He addressed Stella. “How long till she can walk again?”

  Stella shrugged. “This is a severe case, and I don’t have a precedent to compare it to.” She paused. “But I’m incredibly good at this, so I would say about three hours.”

  “Three hours?” Tanner and I said.

  Stella nodded. “Try not to act so surprised every time I do something incredible.”

  “That’s great,” Tanner said. “You don’t even have to miss all of your shift.” He bit back a smile.

  “I was hoping I might get the day off.”

  “You slacking on me, Nora? I won’t hesitate to reprimand you, you know.”

  “Oh. I know. Maybe I want you to reprimand me.”

  Stella raised a hand into the air. “I’m still here, you know. Could you two just wait a few more minutes before going down that road?”

  “Right, sorry,” Tanner said. “I’d better go run some food before Anton starts grunting like a starved pig at an empty trough. Hey, since you’ll be feeling better, how about a date night?”

  Eek. This wasn’t what we needed only a few hours after Tanner admitted to a slight jealousy problem. “Um, sure! But I already agreed to meet Landon at Franco’s tonight at seven. You should come with.”

  Tanner cocked his head to the side. “Hawker?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re having dinner with Landon Hawker?” He said it slowly, like he was making sure he wasn’t missing something.

  “Yes?”

  “Why?” he asked. It was hard to tell if he was more jealous or confused.

  “He helped me out with the Guilt Gale when he didn’t have to, so I owed him a drink.”

  Tanner conceded with a nod. “Makes sense. And sure, I’d be happy to come along and make sure you don’t die of boredom from hearing all his nerdy conspiracies.”

  I chuckled. “I find his conspiracies fascinating.”

  “Is that so? Then you’re in luck, gorgeous, because I have a whole wall of conspiracy theories I think you might be interested in checking out.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded. “Actually, more of a ceiling. I keep it above my bed. If you’re interested, I can show—”

  “Still here!” Stella hollered.

  Tanner cleared his throat. “Right. Sorry. Good luck with the feet, ladies!”

  Chapter Thirteen

  I didn’t recognize the host when Tanner and I stepped into Franco’s Pizza, and it reminded me that I had sharked their former hostess, Greta, when I’d convinced Jane to come work at Medium Rare again. Since Greta was Ansel’s niece, she and Jane came as a package deal. I only felt a little bit bad about it, though; Jane was one heck of a manager, and I didn’t regret bringing her on. Whenever she returned from her honeymoon with Ansel wouldn’t be soon enough. Not only did Medium Rare run more smoothly when Tanner wasn’t in charge for such long shifts, but I missed my friend. I could have told her all about the dreams, and she would’ve known exactly what to say to reassure me that I wasn’t going crazy. That kind of loyalty in a friend wasn’t easily replaced. If she’d been around lately, would I have told her about Donovan? I wasn’t sure, but I suspected so. Might’ve saved me from spilling the beans to Deputy Manchester.

  The young man greeted us with a wide white smile on his freckled face and jerked his head to the side absentmindedly to clear the long strawberry blond hair from in front of his eyes. “You looking for Landon?” he said.

  “Yes,” said Tanner slowly. “How’d you know, TJ?”

  Of course Tanner knew this kid.

  “He said he was meeting a woman with short hair and her boyfriend. Didn’t realize it would be you, Mr. Culpepper.”

  I looked from Tanner to TJ. “I didn’t tell Landon you were coming. Did you?”

  Tanner flashed a quick frown and shook his head.

  TJ said, “He’s over at a table by the bar,” and motioned for us to go ahead.

  The restaurant was packed, as it usually was at this hour. I glanced around to find our friend, but before I sp
otted him, my eyes landed on someone else. Two someone elses, actually.

  Donovan didn’t even glance up from his conversation with Eva. Both leaned over their respective sides of the bar to hear each other over the din, even as a grumpy-looking gnome two seats down tried desperately to flag Donovan for another drink.

  And, just our luck, I spotted Landon at the table directly behind Eva’s barstool. Had Stu already spoken with her? I wasn’t sure which might be more awkward, if he had or if he hadn’t. There would definitely be some air to clear either way.

  Donovan glanced up briefly as Tanner and I approached then did a double-take and said, “Hey, Tanner!” They slapped hands over the bar. Then he turned to me. “Hey, Nora! Heard you had a rough day. Glad to see you’re doing better.”

  Was this some kind of a set-up? “Thanks,” I said suspiciously. “I’m glad, too.” Quickly, I turned to Landon so he didn’t feel left out, and also because why was Donovan being so nice and easygoing with me? It was unsettling. Landon went for the handshake, poor thing, and I knocked his hand out of the way and gave him a quick hug. I wasn’t much of a hugger in general, but Landon’s nerdy and anxious personality made him ripe for the hugging, if for no other reason than to settle his nerves a bit.

  When I let go and stepped back, a warm blush had consumed most of his neck and cheeks.

  “Landon!” Tanner said, greeting him with almost as much warmth as he had Donovan. They slapped hands, and it seemed to cheer the nervous young man to be included as one of the boys.

  Of course, I happened to know Landon wasn’t “one of the boys” in this scenario, which only made me appreciate Tanner’s warm, inclusive tendencies all the more. Without meaning to, I’d developed a bit of a protective nature toward Landon, like a big sister.

  Then it occurred to me that, in my own awkwardness, I hadn’t properly greeted Eva. Whoops.

  This is a faux pas I was guilty of committing all too often in my old life. The vicious cycle went a little bit like this: I say hello to the men in the group who are way more vocal about their hellos; I assume the females in the group probably hate me because I’ve never felt like “one of the girls” (and of course society did a pretty good job of reminding me that I wasn’t traditionally feminine), so I give the women a lukewarm hello or skip them completely. Then the women assume I don’t like them because I don’t give them warm welcomes like I do the men, or, even worse, the women see me as a threat and actively work to eradicate me from the group because they don’t trust me around the men. And then my initial paranoia about them not liking me becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.